Television personality Amanda Holden has publicly revealed the shocking details of a romance scam where fraudsters used her name and identity to manipulate a vulnerable man, almost convincing him to sell his own home.
The 'Scamanda' Deception
In an upcoming episode of the BBC's Scam Interceptors, the 54-year-old Britain's Got Talent judge joined host Rav Wilding to confront the criminals who were impersonating her. The elaborate con involved a scammer, now dubbed 'Scamanda', building an online relationship with a man and persuading him that a future together was possible if he sold his property.
The victim lost thousands of pounds during the process as the fraudster, pretending to be Amanda, attempted to convince him to liquidate his biggest asset. "The scammers were going to pocket all his money," Amanda explained on the programme. Fortunately, the man realised the truth just in time and did not go through with the house sale, understanding that there was no genuine relationship with the celebrity.
A Personal Crusade Against Injustice
Amanda shared that she was first alerted to the situation by the police and was deeply affected by it. She confessed that she "felt personally responsible for his wellbeing" upon hearing about the case. This personal connection spurred her into action, leading to her participation in the scam-busting series.
"It made me realise that my profile is out there being used for all sorts of bad reasons," she stated, "so I thought if I can use my profile for good, and draw attention to the week of scam programming, then that could only be a positive thing."
Known to her friends and family as someone who is always ready to fight a cause, Amanda declared, "I can't stand injustice." She directly confronted the scammer involved and issued a stark warning: "Scammers, consider this your warning – Amanda's watching."
Beyond the Scam: A New Musical Chapter
Away from her anti-fraud efforts, Amanda is currently pursuing a new music project. She was recently pictured in a studio in Beverly Hills working with the legendary producer David Foster. The 75-year-old music icon has previously collaborated with greats like Whitney Houston and Michael Bublé.
This isn't Amanda's first foray into music. In 2019, she signed a recording contract with Virgin EMI Records, and her 2020 debut album, Songs from My Heart, reached an impressive number four on the UK Albums Chart. While she has described performing as "the most nerve-wracking thing I've done," her recent studio session suggests an exciting new chapter is underway.
